Denis Ten: it’s impossible to grasp the immensity

It’s been a while since we have heard something from Denis Ten. So, I think it’s first interview with Denis after his “disappearance”.

Denis: Now I try to close a little from the outside world. Before in my life were many events that required media coverage. When the excitement went down, I took an advantage of it and walked away into the shadows. In my career was many far from the sport things that bothered me. I decided to reformat my thinking a little bit, in some cases even to change the way of life. I’ve stopped using social networks for a while and returned to them only as a courtesy to those people who are closely following me.

Now is such times when If you’re not in the virtual space, everyone thinks that somethingwrong happened,my fans were very worried. Social networks are a tool for communication among public personalities. Recently I returned from Korea, where participated in the show. Through my pages, I could inform the audience about the upcoming event, and I’m pleased that many Kazakhstans came to Korea, as well as fans from other countries.

Show helped to relax emotionally after a difficult season?

Denis:It was my first time on the ice after the treatment. I passed rehabilitation at the medical center in India, which is famous for the fact they can help even the most hopeless patients. Before that I spent a whole year, combined different procedures in America and Europe with training, but here completely devoted myself to treatment. Came to the rink just a week before the performance. It was a pleasant feeling. Now the recovery is coming to an end, in many ways I feel better. Last season was an endless race in uncertainty. Sometimes I didn’t understand what is happening: neither full training, nor treatment, nor competitions. I wanted too much.

Wasn’t there a person near to you who could help?

Denis:Now I understandthat it’s impossible to grasp the immensity. But this season gave me valuable experience, answered many questions about my sporting development and future plans. It’s unreal to have a perfect road in sport. If nothing interferes, you won’t learn anything.

Next season will be intense. There will be Asian Games in addition to traditional competitions, where you have to defend the title, and a home Universiade. You probably have been already asked to participate there …

Denis:We haven’t made a final decision yet. There are a lot of competitions next season. For example, the Four Continents Championships, which will be held in Pyeongchang at the Olympic arena, which is important. I think till the end of summer we will form the final plan for the season. In any case, I want to perform so that it will be useful for the whole Kazakhstan.

In February, you suddenly withdrew from the Four continents Championships …

Denis:It was very disappointing. At that time, I was in great shape. No doubt, I was ready to confirm the status of the current champion. Unfortunately, a week before the start a series of problems appeared. Usually in February, I go to the finish line, gaining the optimal shape for the World Championships. And suddenly all collapsed – several injuries, problems with equipment. I had to collect all the physical condition from scratch. At the World Championships for the first time I felt as I’m skating at the Grand Prix, and the season has just begun.

Were the problems inevitable?

Denis:Athlete is a master of compensation. When a part of your body doesn’t work 100 percent, you compensate it by something else. But at the same time the execution of technical elements changes, the former balance in skating interrupts. Even skates at some point begin to change shape, adapt to the new balance in skating. Whole season I had problems with a hip. Then the back began to hurt. All this happened in a short period of time, so I just didn’t get to the Four continents Championships. Three days before the event, it became clear that I can’t compete. It was a shock for me, as if the movie stops at the most interesting place.

Was a hysteria around your clash with a Japanese skater Yuzuru Hanyu at the World Championships in Boston a shock for you?

Denis:It was a surprise. We all professionals, and here people try to make a kindergarten from the sport. Everyone looked at the situation not knowing what is happening. I didn’t even know how to react. This made it difficult to concentrate. At the rink I was constantly accompanied by a crowd of journalists who were interested not in figure skating but in my relationship with Hanyu. Fans somehow found my phone number, every day they sent messages, wrote on email. Comments on social networks were updateding every second. But I have an understanding for this attitude, everyone looks at the world differently. All these events – only pebbles on my way. They are minor and have nothing to do with sport.

Has someone supported you in media?

Denis:The amazing phenomenon: outside all attacked, but inside, on the contrary, were sympathetic. International leadership supported me. The media from the figure skating world, who saw the entire situation from within also supported me. Fans of the second athlete even accused that some articles were ordered. Many famous skaters offered a public support, to arrange a flash mob. What for? For what? I had other worries. It was nice that those who know our inner kitchen, realized the irony of this situation.

So what happenedat the rink?

Denis:Yeah, nothing happened. There was no collision. For example, I can accuse you that you look me in the eye and do it on purpose, and I because of it I feel uncomfortable. And I say this not to you personally but announce publicly and in such way, so that everyone will believed in it.

Why Hanyu needed it?

Denis: I can only guess.

Given the injury, are you satisfied with performance at the World Championships?

Denis:Of course I’m not. When you have a goal, you don’t think about defeat. As an experienced athlete with my own ambitions, I hoped to overcome this period. Another issue is that before going out on the ice with injuries, under the influence of adrenaline I forgot about them. I didn’t have a feeling that “the time has come.” There was a constant discomfort, anxiety, plus concerns about this incident … This has affected performance. But I have to analyze and understand what was my mistakes. An athlete always has some kind of injury, difficulties – it’s part of our career. We must find ways to overcome them. All my life I’ve been skating undertreated, but then somewhere happened a failure, and it should not happen again.

In addition to skating you do photography, try to do music. You have a lot of interests …

Denis: I wouldn’t call it a serious hobby. Just something to put my energy in a free time. For example, being injured, I went to the ice and skated only on one foot: on the left was a shoe, and on the right – a skate. That’s how I broke in new skates. Music I did as a child. I was wondering whether I can now record what I hear. When I understood the basic principles, the interest was lost. The same is with photography. Such interests appear when I have free time. All the rest of the time I’m focused on the sport. Perhaps, only studying it’s not just interest, but part of my daily schedule.

How long it remains for you to study?

Denis:At least a year. It’s good, because at the time of Universiade I’ll still be an acting student

With fame, charisma and ability to conduct a dialogue you can become a good politician. Do you see yourself as politician in the future?

Denis:While I can see myself only as an athlete. I have no ideas about my future for the next two years. I don’t even want to think about it. My main and most ambitious goal – the Olympics in Korea. And if suddenly after 2018 I decide to change the type of activity, I know that I’ll find myself in something. I have no doubt.

7 Responses to “Denis Ten: it’s impossible to grasp the immensity”

Ten’s comments about his incident with Hanyu is self-contradicting. In his interview with Icenetwork, he admitted that Hanyu did approach him to talk after the 1st day practice: “We talked (after the first incident) and I said, ‘Maybe the rink is smaller,'” Ten said. “But honestly, I didn’t even notice until the end because I thought there was a lot of space between us.” (http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2016/03/31/169878518/boston-brewings-hanyu-ten-stir-up-practice-tiff)
Apparently, Ten’s take-it-easy attitude didn’t improve in the 2nd day which led to Hanyu’s outbreak.

I think that with such technical difficulty of the programs, you can’t be sure that those skaters will deliver clean and solid skates every time, the risk of injury is very high too…..((( Denis is a great skater, with a full package, if he manage to overcome his health problems and some psycological issues, I think he has pretty good chances.